Fish lure



June 4, 1940. J. M. SHANNON 2,203,473

FISH LURE Filed Aug. 2, 1937 Patented June 1940 UNITED 1 STATS y PATENT- QOF'FICE unicum; .2. gn. 'warmsv My invention relates to a fish lure which may be used for either trolling or casting and with or without natural or artificial bait. l

The invention has among its objects the production of a simple, eicient, attractive and durable device which will beparticularly alluring to fishwhen the same is drawn through the water `when reeling or trolling. Of course,the principal object is the production of a lure that will l0 be as effective as possible for attracting fish, as well as to securely hook and hold the fish.

A further object is to construct alure ofthe kind described that is substantially weedless, so

that the same will not. readily snag or become l5. caught on weeds, lily pads, snags or other objects which are generally present in good fishing waters. i l Y A further object is the production of allure of the kind described in which the lure is of sufficient weight to perform its functions and yet light enough so that it will not plummet to the bottom or travel too low below the surface under ordinary conditions. l

It has particularly as an object the production ofl a lure of the kind described that will substan tially plane when drawn through the waterbut, depending upon the speed of propulsion, will not rise to the top and tend to skim over the wate unless such action is desired. B0 Many other oli'iects and advantages of` the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

Tothis end my invention consists' in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims. n `In the drawing, wherein like reference charact'ers indicate like or corresponding parts: Fig. ,isis-.a side elevation of the lure; v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a similar view of the underside of the device; l

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 2; Y'

'Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1, enlarged to' show the construction; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view y taken substantially on line 6--6 of Fig. 2.,

Referring to the drawing, I represents whatv for the attachment of a line or leader. As shown.'

- screw 1.

the body plate in the preferred embodiment vsubstantially conforms in contour or shape to the bowl of an ordinary tea or table spoon. At the rear or tail end is a slot 3 extending along the longitudinal central axis of the spoon, through 5 which th shank of the hook and a spinner wire lmay extend, as willbe more fully explained hereinafter. The body of the spoon or plate is provided with one or more openings, preferably in the form of slots I, arranged at each side of the 10 center line. Obviously, any or all of the openings or slots may extend along and cut the center line so that the openings are continuous from one side to the other across the plate, as is shown at 4 (see Fig. 3). These slots are of the-desired l5 size and shape and, in the preferred embodiment shown, extend angularly outwardly and rearwardly at each side of the center line of the spoon.

Arranged at the head end of the body plate and conforming tothe same is what may be 20 designated as a head or retaining plate 5 provided with an opening B registering with the opening 2 in the plate I, the head plate 5 being secured to the plate by a screw I or equivalent means for the purpose. The plate and screw 25 constitutes means, as will be hereinafter" described, for securing the several spinners and hook to the plate I.

Secured to the plate I is a iish hook of the detion l and `shank 9, the shank being formed with an e e III at the end opposite the hook 8. As most clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the end of the shank with the eye is extended under the plate 5 which is shown cupped as at II to re- 35 ceive it and the same secured by the screw 1. Ordinarily there is provided an associated lure consisting of abuk tail I2 or feathers of the siredize and shape, consisting of the hook por- 30` desired size and color or mixed colors, this depending upon the preference of the user. 40

There is also shown a tail spinner i I5 which is so disposed relative the hook that it is below the same and extends slightly beyond the rear of the hook and plate. 4This spinner is connected to the more or less flexible wire I6 through a swivel 45 I1, the head end of the bwire I6 being looped around the screw 1 and secured between the plate Iand head plate 5. I have also shown a wire I9 formed with a loop 2D which projects through the opening 6 in the head plate and is 50 engaged and secured between `the plates by the The ends of the wire I9, which are generally preferred to be resilient and iiexible, extend laterally outwardly at each side of the center line of the plate Iand upwardly and rear- 55 wardly, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and to the ends of this wire may be connected additional spinners 22 by means of the swivels 2|. It is desired generally that the spinners 22 be positioned at each side of the hook 8 and slightly above the same. The spinners I5 and 22 not only serve as effective devices to attract the fish, but they also tend to guard the hook and prevent its snagging or becoming caught in weeds or lily pads and the like. When the lure is travelling through .the water these spinners I5 and 22, of course, spin around. As was before mentioned, the plate 5 is cupped or struck outwardly at II and is spaced at the rear from the plate, so that the eye I0 of the hook, the loop I8 of the wire I6 and the loop 20 of the wire I9 is contained between plate I and the head plate 5, with the screw 8 holding the parts in assembly. As shown. the device may be disassembled by removing the screw, so that the hook or other parts of the assembly may be changed if desired, lor parts replaced. Obviously, a permanent connection may be made if that is preferred.

In order to prevent the head plate from turning out of position, in addition to the screw 1 there may be one or more openings or recesses 23 in the plate I, the plate 5 being partially struck down to provide lugs 24 which seat in the recesses 23.

The parts of the lure may be given any desired ilnish, that is, plated, or painted in a combination of colors and finishes. The lure likewise 'may be made in a variety of sizes. It may also be made as decorative as desired, as for example, painting the lugs24 or about the lugs and painting in the slots 4, so that the appearance of eyes and gills oi' iish are represented.' In use, as before mentioned, the lure may be cast and reeled in or maybeused for trolling from a moving boat. When drawn through the water, it takes a position substantially as shown in Fig. l, the depth from the surface of the water depending upon the speed with which the more evenly in the water, and the tendency to come to the top is not so noticeable. The water below the plate I may come up through the openings 4 substantiallyv as shown in Fig. 6 :and this appearsl to assist in preventing the spoon from planing to the surface of the water. 'Ihis also accomplishes another thing, the ripples of the water in surging through the openings: appear to attract more attention to the lure. In some ways the slots'appear to resemble the gills of a ilsh when'lviewed from below or the side. It will be noted by` referring to Fig. r6, that due to the spoon shape of the plate Iand arrangement of the slots 4, the rear or trailingedges ofthe slots area triiie below the advancing edges, so that the tendency'of the water in striking the rear edge or side of the slots is to move up through and over the top face of the plate. This action of the water above the spoon also probably has a tendency to additionally agitate the buck tail I2. While I have not shown any additional bait on the lure, such as a pork rind, minnow or the like,.it is of course obvious that such additional elements may be employed when the device is in use.

. mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire 4to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A ilsh lure consisting of a spoon shaped plate arranged at the head end for attachment to a line, and provided with a hook member having a shank extending from the head end rearwardly from the tail end and terminating in a hook, said plate having a plurality of slots through the same at each side of the central axis, the respective slots on each side lof said axis being substantially parallel with one another and transverse to the slots on the other side of said axis.

2. A sh lure consisting of a plate arranged at the head end for attachment to a line, and provided with a hook member extending rearwardly from the tail end, said plate having an opening through the same at each side of the central axis of the plate for the passage of water therethrough, said hook member including a shank provided with an eye at one end arranged on. the plate with the eye at the head end thereof,

a head plate arranged over said eye and fasteni with an eye at one end and hook at the other end, a spinner and wire connected therewith, said wire extending along said shank to the head end of the plate, a pair of spinners arranged one at each side of and above said hook, a ilexible wire connected to said spinners and extended to the head end of said plate adjacent said shank eye, a plate overlying said shank and fastening means for securing said head plate, wires, hook and body plate in assembled relation.

4. A sh lure of the kind described comprising a spoon shaped body plate having openings therethrough at either side of the center, a head plate mounted at the head end of said body plate, a hook having a shank provided with a hook at one end and with an eye at the other end, a-

spinner arranged substantially at the rear of said hook end and provided with a wire swiveled to the spinner,-said wire being formed substantially with an eye at the free end, a wire provided with a loop intermediate its ends and bent up- 1 Wardly and rearwardly, said shank eye, ilrst men- ,tioned wire and looped wire extended under said plate, and means for securing said head plate, wires, hook and body plate together, there being a spinner swiveled to each end of saidlooped wire.

5. A fish lure consisting of a spoon shaped body plate arranged at the head end for attachment to a line, and provided with a slot at the tail end, a sh hook having a shank provided with an eye at one end and hook at the other end arranged on the plate with the eye at the head end thereof, a head plate arranged over said eye and a screw for detachably securing said head plate and shank to the head end of the plate,

means for preventing rotation of the head plate 'l on the body plate, said shank extending rearwardly through said slot at the tail end of the plate and terminating in a hook at its free end, a tow wire extending along said shank and secured at the head end of the plate by said screw, 4

a spinner swiveled to said tow wire. p

6. A ilsh lure of the kind described comprising the combination of a spoon shaped body plate having an opening therethrough intermediate the ends and side edges, and an opening adjacent both the head and tail ends, a head plate mounted at the head end of said body plate, a hook member having a shank provided with a hook at one end and with an eye at the other end, a spinner arranged adjacent the said hook end of the shank and provided with a wire swiveled to the spinner,

` said wire being formed substantially with an eye at the free end, a wire provided with a loop intermediate its ends and bent upwardly and rearwardly and terminating in a spinner at each free end swiveled thereto, said shank eye, rstmentioned wire loop and looped wire being extended under said head plate, and means commonto all for securing said head plate, wires, hook and body plate together. l

7. A sh lure consistingof a spoon shaped plate arranged at the head end for attachment to a line, and provided with a hook extending rearwardly from the tail end, said plate having a linear slot through the same substantially adjacent to the transverse medial axis, at each side of and transverse to the longitudinal axis of the plate forthe passage of water therethrough, the portion of said slot on one side oi the axis being transverse to the portion on the opposite side thereof, and water actuable means extending along the longitudinal axis above said plate substantially in the path of water passing through said slot.

8. A sh lure consisting of a plate arranged at the head end for attachment to a line, and provided with a hook extendingV rearwardly from the tail end, said plate having a plurality of linear openings therethrough substantially adjacent to the transverse medial axis, at each side of and transverse to the longitudinal axis of said plate, the openings on one side being similarly positioned to the openings on the other side relative said longitudinal axis, whereby the tendency of the lure to plane on the surface of the water is reduced without otherwise materially affecting the action of the lure.

JESSE M. SHANNON. 

